National Protocols
On November 18 2004, the Federal Education Minister announced his intention to initiate a sector-wide consultation in 2005 on the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes, the key regulatory mechanism covering the definition and accreditation of universities in Australia.
This announcement was accompanied by the release of a report by the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) into the further development of the National Protocols. The report was written by former University of Technology Sydney Vice Chancellor, Gus Guthrie, and is based on interviews with a number of higher education stakeholders, including the NTEU. It is roughly divided into three sections:
- An examination of each of the five Protocols, their strengths and weaknesses and recommendations for change.
- An analysis of the different State/Territory approaches to the accreditation of universities and other higher education providers.
- An overview of accreditation systems in major OECD countries, including their restrictions on use of the term university and the state of play regarding the increasing prominence of the private HE market and attempts to regulate it.
According to the Education Minister, the report forms the basis of a discussion paper to be released in early 2005 that will bring together “the recommendations proposed in the Guthrie Review in addition to those issues devoted to the institutional approval processes that were raised during the review of higher education”.
The NTEU is concerned that lowering the bar for university accreditation status will merely reduce diversity and encourage institutions into destructive competition against each other on a narrow range of highly profitable disciplines.
For more information contact Andrew Nette, National Policy and Research Coordinator on (03) 9254 1910.
You can access information and resources on this page.
Further information:
| Letter to State/Territory Education Ministers | A letter has been sent to the State and Territory Education Ministers to express the Union's concerns. This letter address issues identified from the JCHE's revised National Protocols. Follow this link to download the letter. |
| NTEU response to revised National Protocols | The Joint Committee on Higher Education (JCHE) released the draft revised National Protocols. Follow this link to download the Union's response. |
| The National Protocols | Download a copy of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes. The National Protocols are the key regulatory mechanism covering the definition and accreditation of universities in Australia. |
| The Guthrie Report | Download a copy of the Guthrie Report. This report released by the Department of Education, Science and Training outlines recommendations for changes to the National Protocols. |
| NTEU's National Protocols Submission | Download the Union's submission in response to the review of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes. It outlines the Union's response to potential changes to the Protocols. |
| NTEU Briefing Paper | Download the briefing paper for NTEU members. It gives an overview of the Guthrie Report and includes an overview of the importance of the National Protocols. |
| NTEU's Media Release | Download the NTEU's media release in response to the announcement by the Minister for Education of the review of the National Protocols. |
| Letter to State and Territory Education Ministers | Download and read a copy of the letter that was sent to each State and Territory Education Ministers outlining the NTEU's concerns about the review of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes. |
| Reviewing the National Protocols Article | Download the recent article written for 'The Advocate' about the review of the National Protocols. |
| From the National Assistant Secretary | Download the column written by the National Assistant Secretary about the review of the National Protocols. |